How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Judge what they bring up on the witness stand, and then deliver your just verdict. (2.79)
This is the ideal view of law: that the verdict will always be just.
Quote #2
What are we playing with this guy for? We don't need him. We got the case locked. (6.50)
If the detectives don't need him, why do they drag Steve into the fray? For the sake of justice? Or for another reason? We're catching a whiff of racism and it stinks.
Quote #3
O'BRIEN
[…] You're young, you're Black, and you're on trial. What else do they need to know?STEVE
I thought you're supposed to be innocent until you're proven guilty? (6.80-81)
Sure that's what the law says, but stereotypes speak louder than laws. And hey—he's in the courtroom, so there must be a reason… right? When looked at from this angle, it's easy to see that innocent until proven guilty is more of a dream than a reality.